2014 Year In Review

Here we are! At the end of an amazing year. And what a year it has been. This year has been full of so much joy and accomplishment, as well as needing to give myself a kick in the BUTT! So here it is.

January marked me passing my half way point in my pregnancy. And training going strong for the ENTIRE MONTH! I had to train for my first 1/2 marathon. And I did it all while pregnant.

February had me planning for our Disney Trip and training and some days questioning my sanity to run in a 1/2 marathon at 29 weeks pregnant! And actually completing my very first 1/2 marathon. And doing something that I never actually thought I would ever do! (next time regardless of how I feel, I WILL take a great happy shot of my medal. Kicking myself over that one for sure!)

March was all about baby and getting ready to have one. Getting the room set up and feeling more prepared.

April was about tying up my studio for the year so that I could take 3 months off from teaching. Looking back, I really think that this month was pretty good for me. I also became an Ambassador for Girls Gone Sporty! I love being part of networks with like minded people and I have learned so much from the amazing awesome women who are part of this!

May, I felt like I was the white rabbit always checking my calendar and watch for when baby will arrive. And even did some late term pregnancy running to GET THE BABY OUT! And thankfully we welcomed baby Collin into our family and he was healthy and happy after just a short little scare. But all was well. I had my no drugs needed labor and was able to get up and walk to the NICU, unassisted, 30 minutes after having him to be with him.

June and July I rested and recovered. I did help out with the local Woman's 4 miler training program and another local race on July 4th with Collin in attendance. I didn't start actually running until after August though. I also became a Beachbody Coach to help motivate people one on one  and to achieve their weight loss and lifestyle goals!

August I started running again, as best as I could with still recovering. And I ran in the Woman's 4 Miler again!

September, I became an Ambassador with FitFluential. An origination that I had been trying to be part of for a year! I love working with them and so thankful that we are working together and love meeting and reading all about my fellow ambassadors.

October, November and December have been a roller coaster of training and not training. Still dealing with my body not liking me running, still have issues to this day, more on that later. I have lost motivation and gained it. I have not lost my baby weight either. But I am not perfect. I am human. I am still trying everyday to do better and some days are better and some not so much. But overall it has been a pretty AMAZING year for me!

I am so excited for the amazing goals I have set for 2015 and can't wait to share all of them with you. I am so thankful for the wonderful blessings I got in 2014 and for my healthy family. Thank you so much for joining me on my journey because I love hearing from you and knowing that someone is reading. Here's to 2014. And because it is worth fighting for let's make our dreams come true in 2015!

Song of the Day

Went on a little post Christmas run this morning- felt like I had a ton of bricks in my shoes- and my iPod hit a song that just kept ringing a tone with me. I played it 3 times. Especially the chorus which is in the above picture. Do you have a fav song when running or exercising?

Looking Up
by Paramore

Lyrics

Things are looking up
Oh, finally
I thought I'd never see the day
When you'd smile at me

We always pull through
Oh, when we try
I'm always wrong
But you're never right
Oh, you're never right

Honestly, can you believe
We crossed the world while it's asleep?
I'd never trade it in
'Cause I've always wanted this and
It's not a dream anymore, no
It's not a dream anymore
It's worth fighting for

Could have given up so easily
I was a few cheap shots away
From the end of me

Taken for granted
Almost everything
That I would have died for
Just yesterday
Just yesterday

Honestly, can you believe
We crossed the world while it's asleep?
I'd never trade it in
'Cause I've always wanted this and
It's not a dream anymore, no
It's not a dream anymore
It's worth fighting for

God knows the world doesn't need another band
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
But what a waste it would've been
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
I can't believe we almost hung it up
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
We're just getting started
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh

Honestly, can you believe
We crossed the world while it's asleep?
I'd never trade it in
'Cause I've always wanted this and
It's not a dream anymore, no
It's not a dream anymore, no, oh
It's not a dream anymore, no, oh
It's not a dream anymore
It's worth fighting for

I can't believe we almost hung it up
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
We're just getting started
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
I can't believe we almost hung it up
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
We're just getting started
Yeah, we're just getting started

JANUARY 2015 first race is going to be...

New Year's Day 5k here in C-ville VA! It is a race recommended for my training program anyhow and I wanted to do it last year but with being pregnant and ice, I didn't run in it. I stayed indoors on the treadmill. But not this year, I will be hoofing it with the rest of them!

Looking for a February race. Need to find out what my mileage for the training program will be in February first to see if it can be a 10k or not!

Know any good races in the central VA area for February???

The Road Not Taken

You guys! YOU HAVE TO READ this blog post by my friend and fellow Blogger Jen! She is amazing and I kid you not I was balling my eyes out reading her amazing race recap! She is an elite runner and someone I look up to and admire so much because of her hard work and dedication. She ran the New York City Marathon at 6 months postpartum and it didn't go quite as planned and 2 week later she decided THE NIGHT BEFORE to run a local marathon and KICKED IT'S BUTT!

Such an amazing story about not giving up and listening to your body. Please read this! Don't forget to give her a shout out in the comments too!

http://www.runnerstrials.com/2014/11/16/charlotte-thunder-road-marathon-2014-race-recap/

Starting Over

Can I just tell you that starting over with running, and yes I am starting from square 0, is really, really, REALLY hard to do! It just isn't fun. I am going through the same pains now that I did last year when I first started running with the 4 miler training program. I have shin splints again. And they really suck! I have noticed though since I have been trying to do more mileage than is required, even though it is just walking, that after the first mile and a half my legs are finally warmed up and fine.

This is the frustrating part. The first mile sucks and it takes me 1.5 miles for my legs to cooperate and to deal with what is going on with them. But at this point my required mileage is just over a mile.

But here is the cool part. I have a goal. I want to do this. I want to get back in running shape. And this is a great reminder to not stop running again. Even when I do get pregnant again, I will continue to run just as I did before. As long as my body will let me. This is also good motivation to eat better too because I am carrying more weight on my body and that is another reason why my body hurts while running. All I have to do is just keep on running. That's it. Just keep doing it.

Oh and another cool thing, hubs knew I have been wanting the Garmin Forerunner 15 for awhile now and he got it to help me with my training! Can't wait to use it on Saturday morning!

QOTD: Have you ever had to restart your running? How long did it take for you to feel normal again?

Post Run Yoga

Now that you are starting to run, here are the best post run yoga exercises to help you stretch back out and keep you from getting too sore and tight! Run on! 

Be sure to follow me on FACEBOOK for more tips and tons of motivation during the day! See you over there! 

Beginners Running Plan

Here is a great beginner's running plan to check out! Anyone can learn to run, you just have to take that first step! 

Don't forget to follow me on FACEBOOK too! More helpful information and tons of motivation messages every single day! See you over there! 

Back into Running!

Today was my first solo run of the fall! YEA! And in a month I will begin the 10 miler training program for the spring 10 miler, or the C-ville 1/2. Not sure which one I will do right now but I should do the training program anyways because it is a great way to stay in running shape during the cold winter. I found this great article on the Charlottesville 10 miler training page and I couldn't help sharing it here! So click below to read about

THE TOP TEN MISTAKES MADE BY 10 MILER RACERS! 

ENJOY! 

2014 Charlottesville's Woman's 4 Miler - Race Recap

I have done my first repeat race ever! It was kind of fun knowing the course and what to expect going into my second time doing the same race. What an exhilarating experience running with so many other women though! It is such an awesome feeling.

My race I knew I was going to be slower than last year since I hadn't trained for it and certainly not like last year. I went into the race last year ready to conquer it and to kick it's butt. This year I was just happy to be there and to actually do it. I was nervous and scared of getting hurt so I did not push myself like I could have. (which makes me wonder how well I could have done if I had.) But it was my first postpartum race, and first time doing 4 miles in a row for a very long time!

We lined up in our corrals and I lined up with the 13-14 min mile pace. I trusted my body and knew that I could sustain that for a little while. I had a couple of friends in this pace group that I was going to run with, so why not!

We made our way to the line ups and before we knew it, it was time to go! Me and 2 other ladies who were starting together. One took off like a rocket and we told her to keep going, she did! The other 2 we ran together. One friend took a stumble just before mile 1 and I stayed with her to make sure she was ok and T kept on trucking along. It took me awhile to get back up to her. V was ok and got back up. Her ankle was hurt so we slowed our pace to let her get back into the groove. I started running with another lady and encouraged her to pump her arms more and we started talking. V caught up with us and then there was a third lady I started talking to along the course. She said she was going to pace with me and another lady did as well. So we just kept on trucking.

My my calves were on fire and starting to cramp up around mile and a half. I kept thinking, how on earth am I going to do this. I am so silly to think I could just up and do 4 miles. I have to keep going to help these ladies. And that last thought gave me the motivation to just trust my body and to listen to it and keep going. We walked then jogged back and forth doing intervals. Allowing all of us to not over do it. Around mile 2 my legs started to feel pretty good and 2.5 miles in they were finally warmed up and I felt like I could keep going and fly! I started to push my pace a little more and 2 out of the 3 ladies I had with me now were keeping up but V and her ankle were hurting. She said to keep going and we did. At some point I lost another of the ladies but me and one other were able keep on going and push each other.

I was shocked at how my body was feeling. I was breathing fine, and my legs were doing great. It felt like I had been running all along. It is amazing what the body can remember doing even after so long of a break. Mile 3.2 is the long downhill and I just let gravity take me and ran the whole way down. I caught up with one of my starting buddies at that time. She was just trucking along! As we approached the end, I had to take a 15 second little walk break and K who was my running buddy kept going. I sucked up the little bit of tiredness in my legs and just ran the last 1/4 mile to the end. Thankful to have actually finished with doing as much running as I did. 59:53 is what I finished in. Last year I finished in 55 min so I was pretty pleased with myself. I knew I could have gone faster, but didn't want to risk injury and I had ladies that I was running with. It wasn't about me anymore it was about making sure they finished and crossed the finish line safely! And they did. I waited for V to make sure she was ok. She was fine until she stopped running and then the pain hit. Her knee was pretty banged up too but SHE FINISHED and that is what it is about people, just finish. It doesn't matter if you run the whole thing, walk or run/walk as long as you finish is the key!

Overall it was a great race. It wasn't too hot, it was humid but it was overcast the whole time! It was well organized and everyone I talked to had a great time. I love the field where the spectators watch and it allowed Mason to run around like the crazy 3 year old boy he is! I am looking forward to next years race and blowing my time out of the water!

I am so proud of all the women who ran for the great cause of supporting the University Of Virginia's Cancer Center Breast Care Program. And all the money that goes towards their research and care of the women. Donations are still being accepted. So if you would like to donate, click on the picture below and make a donation in support of me as the runner! EVER PENNY COUNTS!

Running Tips and Tricks: Aches & Pains

Running is hard work! It really is. And often we find that our legs are sore or our back hurts, or man look at that BLISTER! These are common aches and pains from actually putting forth an effort at something that is physically challenging. Here are a few tips and tricks to help with those pesky aches and pains we get.

Leg soreness: There are different parts of your legs that will be sore or the whole leg will be sore but for me my shins/calf and my IT band area. After a run if your shins or calfs have been sore it is best to use the R.I.C.E. formula to help out.

Rest: take a break. It is ok to take a nap if you have to but make sure you rest after a run. Your body worked for you so it is time to work for your body and allow it some downtime!

Ice: Make sure you ice your legs or anywhere that it hurting. A bag of peas or a lunch ice pack is great but it can help with the swelling and can make your legs feel better.

Compression: Compression socks are the new fad around town. If you look at runners around town you will see most of them sporting socks that go up to their knees. No these are not the new fad in tube socks, well they might be, but more than likely they are compression socks. There are some super fun socks out there too. They help increase circulation in your legs and reduce lactic acid build-up. RunningSkirts.com has some super cute compression running socks!

Elevate: Elevate your legs. Sometimes after running you might have some swelling. So while you are RESTING, ICING, prop your feet up on a pillow up on the couch. This is great! You are doing 3 things at once. My hubs know that when I get home that I will rest for about an hour before I really do anything, otherwise I crash and crash hard later in the day!

Massage: Some other ways to help your body out are massages! I love me a massage, I do! I go through my chiropractor's office and it is part of my physical therapy with chiropractic care and is covered by my insurance. Check with your insurance company for their own rules! But I was getting a massage a month while running and while pregnant. I try to get 1 massage a month. I also schedule a massage a few days after a race because I build up so much more lactic acid because I push myself harder during the race. So I have sore muscles and a lot needs to be worked on and it just feels so good!

Foam Roller: Invest in a foam roller trust me! They are amazing. They might hurt for the first little bit but they are awesome! I roll out my IT band to keep it loose and not too tight. I use a high density hard roller but there are soft rollers out, I just feel it so much more with the high density roller and man there are times I hate doing it but afterwards they are great. For foam roller exercises go here!

Prevention: The biggest thing that can help prevent aches and pains are a good pair of running shoes. A lot of people have aches and pains because they don't have the right running shoes. So find a local running store and get professional fitted for a pair of shoes. The store should look at your running style and how your foot falls and such to determine your shoe. And it might not always be the cutest shoes in the world. And that is ok. I would rather have the right foot ware over cute any day!

Hope this helps!

Running Tips and Tricks: Music

I love music! I wouldn't teach it if I didn't love it. There is always a constant hum of sound around us and sound is classified as music. There is even a piece of music where a pianist just sits on the bench and allows the sound all around him to be the music. The people coughing out of discomfort waiting for him to pay, the hum of the air conditioning the outside noise that seeps in. Even our body has it's own beat and pattern with our heartbeat. Anyhew, music history lesson over. 

With that being said about music all around us. Music when working out and exercising can be a driving force to challenge us and push us to that next level. If there is a slower song playing than our run will gradually meet the beat that is playing and slow down, and just is the same as the opposite. Fast singer = faster pace. My friend recently wrote that she went to a spin class and was disappointed in the instructor because there was a great song on but didn't use the song to the best of its ability in keeping the beat or pushing the group to go harder and faster at the peak of the song. I am sure you know what I mean. Have been there. When a great song comes on and you just push yourself a little harder because that song pumps you up!

On your iPod or MP3 player, do you have your own workout playlist? I do. I already mentioned my 5 top running songs here. Jog.fm has actual pace per mile songs that you can pace your run to. HOW COOL IS THAT! Just put in the pace you want to run (12 min mile in my case) and BAM there were enough songs listed for 9 hours and 33 minutes! You can even listen to the song and it tells you where you can get it, i.e. iTunes or Amazon. Pretty neat.

Jog.fm says, "Studies have shown that listening to music during exercise works wonders on the mind and body. Not only can it improve results by acting as a motivational tool AND as a distraction from fatigue, but it can help improve lung function and it might even make you smarter." 

Time to organize my playlist on my iPod to 13 min mile and 12 min mile pace songs. New project, YEA! 

Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon Sign Up TODAY!

Who's signing up for the 1/2 marathon today??? Not I, said this ginger! Not this coming year at least. I will run it again, at some point but not this coming year. Why you ask? Well, I would love to run in the Disney Wine and Dine 1/2 in November of 2015 and Disney races are a little pricey and require me to save up some money. But for those of you who are going to be signing up today, here is some advice I would love to share with you!

1. Sign up early. IT WILL SELL OUT QUICKLY! This race is becoming more and more popular every year. The more people are doing it the more want to do it. So registration opens at 12 eastern. SET YOU ALARM! And sign up.

2. Pre-decide if you want to run the glass slipper challenge so that you are not sitting and waiting and deciding to do that or not. It is difficult! I was on the fence and decided as I was signing up that it would have been too much for me as it was my first 1/2 marathon. Glad that I didn't sign up for it since I was 29 weeks pregnant!

3. Once you sign up, start saving your money! The race itself is expensive but so is going to WDW! Hotel, the expo, and of course going to the park wearing your medal after you run the race. It adds up and take my advice, don't start saving for the trip in December. Start saving some money now!

4. Do not train for the 15 min/mile that they suggest if you plan on peeing during the race. Or taking pictures with characters. Just don't! Or hold it for the entire 3 hours and 30 minutes it will take to finish. If you are training at the 15 min/mile exactly know that there are natural choke points and you will have to slow down or walk to get through. (Like down main street or going through the castle.) Corrals A-C don't have to deal with this but if you are in Corrals L-O you better believe that yes you will have to slow down! It is just what it is. There are so many people and the bathroom lines and picture lines get so long that you are going to be strapped for time and watching you back for the sweepers. I was running a consistent 14:30 up until mile 10. I had 4 potty breaks. No pictures with characters. I had to walk the last 3 miles because my body was done. I came in over the time limit and everyone behind me was saying, "The sweepers were coming" When we hit the on ramp loop on the way to Epcot. That was the big fear, the sweepers! So decide now what pace you are going to train at and try to train at it and maybe just a hair faster! That's my 2 cents!

5. Have fun! This is a fun race. As hard as it was for me and as frustrated I was knowing that I was going to come in over the recommended time at just 3 miles in because the bathroom lines were so long, I still had an amazing time! It truly was magical. I will never forget the relief that I felt crossing that finish line with my best friend and knowing that I was done and I did it. Still kicking myself for not getting a decent pic of me wearing my finishers medal just after the race. Oh well, something for next time!

But seriously, DO THIS RACE! At least once. IT is amazing to be surrounded by so many strong, and beautiful women (and some men too) running. Looking at our society with how many people are overweight, how many children are overweight and we had 24,000 women running in the race. And they weren't the same 24,000 from the previous year or the other years. Most of the women running are mothers, being a great example to their children of showing their dedication, effort and determination to run in a race that is physically and mentally challenging! Their children appreciate what their mother is doing, and along the way the child will learn that exercise can actually be fun and uplifting but hard work. It is getting our children to be more active when they see their parents being active. Live by example people! That is what we need to do!

Hope you sign up! WELL WORTH IT! Well done RunDisney for providing such an amazing experience! CLICK HERE to go to the registration page!

Running Tips And Tricks: Breathing

I really love doing the 4 miler training program! I am meeting so many people each and every week and my goal is to talk to at least 5 new people and get to know them. Since I am a pink lady I often get asked questions about running. I am no expert on running but I tell them what works for me and we go from there. So today the topic is on BREATHING!

QUESTION: This is my first time adding running into my walking and I am having a hard time breathing. I can't catch my breath at all. What do I do?

Answer: You are exerting your body more than you have in a very long time. This is common. You are working hard. So your body is following suit. The harder we work the more our breath is shallow and rapid.

So First, when running breathing through your mouth so you are getting a full breath and not a constricted breath. Then, Focus on breathing in and out with the rhythm of your steps. I like to vary between breathing in for 3 steps and out for 2 or in for 2 and out for 2, depending on the speed and length of my run, hills or no hills and how humid it is.

Next, deep breaths are also key. Make sure when you are breathing you are breathing down into your belly and not into your lungs. (I am kind of a master at this as this is how you teach breathing for an instrument and since I teach french horn I talk about deep breathing ALL THE TIME!) Try right now, take a deep breath...ok now answer me this. Did you fill your chest (did your chest rise?) Or did your breath go into your belly (making your belly stick out a little more?) As females we don't like making our belly stick out and we actually have great abs because we suck in our bellies without thinking about it. But when running we need to be relaxed but stable in our abs and core and our breath should fill our belly not our lungs. NO SHALLOW BREATHS!

TIP: Practice deep breathing to a steady beat before you run to get a feel for how to fill your belly and not your lungs. Sit on the couch and put on your favorite moderate paced song and tap your foot to keep the beat. Breath in for 3 stomps filling all the way to your belly and out for 3 exhaling all of the air. And repeat a ton to get a good feel for it. Then try when running.

Question: Ouch! I am finally running and I am keeping my breathing under control but after some time I get a cramp in my side. How do I not get that or make it to go away?

Answer:  Welcome to the world of YOU ARE WORKING YOUR LUNGS AND THEY ARE FIGHTING YOU! But guess what? You are strong and your body will adjust over time to this and the stitch will go away. Or maybe every single time you run, at 17 minutes in, you will get a cramp in your right side just under your ribs and it feels like you can't take another breath but by 19 minutes it is gone and whew you can keep going! Welcome to my world!

Seriously, when I was running at a 12 min/mile at 17 min (1.5 miles) I always, ALWAYS got a cramp in my side for 2 minutes. I think though at some point during running you might always get a stitch because you are working your lungs so hard. I got one every time while training for my half marathon. Either you just get used to it as you train more or here is a tip on how to make them go away!

TIP: This was taught to me last year by another pink lady, Janet. Going back to foot falls. When you get a stitch reverse your foot falls with your breathing. HUH!?! Ok so if you are breathing in for 2 and out for 2, it is easier to think about, stick with me here, Ok so every time you start to breath in your right foot goes down. Then when you start to breath out your right foot goes down again. Now Switch it to have your breath begin with your left foot and out with your left foot. I don't know why this works but seriously IT DOES! And it works FAST! SUPER FAST! Maybe it gets your mind thinking about something else other than the pain I have no idea but it works!

QUESTION:  I hack up a lung every time I run. Am I ok?

ANSWER: This goes back to  YOU ARE WORKING YOUR LUNGS AND THEY ARE FIGHTING YOU! So my husband when he would do his Army physical fitness test he would push himself super hard with his running to make sure he came in at a good time. Often he would cough a ton afterwards and once he even coughed up blood. Just a little bit.(EWWWW) Well your lungs are being worked a ton. This is where training comes in. When we are training for a race we slowly increase our speed and increase our distance. We don't go out there and kill it every time and push ourselves to the max. And if you push too hard too fast your lungs are gong to fight you. Slowly increase your mileage and speed over weeks not a day. My hubs could run, but he would push himself too much on testing days. DON'T DO THAT!

Tip: If you notice that if you are coughing a lot after running, and it is super humid out. Next time slow down just a bit. The air is super thick because it is not moving at all. Our bodies have to work harder to move the air in and out of our lungs. Take it easy and don't over do it!

Running is meant to be fun. Don't over exert yourself because you want to keep coming back for more! Hope these tips help you in your training for your race or your everyday fun run!

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